(El Universal) - "The pace of Venezuelan economic growth, ending last year at 10.3 percent of GDP, should be slowed down and get steady at 6-7 percent annually, said Minister of Planning Jorge Giordani.

'It should be a bit more moderate, indeed. We have always estimated an annual rate of 6-7 percent and this is what we expect for the next six-year term,' he said, as quoted by AFP.

As stated by Giordani, inflation this year is not expected to go beyond 12 percent and unemployment is estimated to go down to 7 percent.

'We have had growth for 13 quarters in a row. No economy in the world, except for China, has grown at such a pace,' the minister told reporters.

'Undoubtedly, climbing to 13 percent is too high.' Giordani fears that such a trend could result in shortage".